Two friends are interested in taking the Queen's MPA. In an effort to help them make a good decision, I plan to blog more often about my experience in the MPA program. Today is the first day of classes in the Winter term, the second full-time term of the two-terms-and-a-bit (aka 10-month) program.

Although I was on waiting lists for the three optional courses I wanted to take this term, I am now enrolled in all three of them: Law and Public Policy, Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations, and Reforming Global Organizations.

In Law and Public Policy, taught by Beverley Baines, we are exploring introductory material on Canada's court system, legal reasoning and the relationship between the judicial, executive and legislative branches of government. The course includes a mid-term test, a major group presentation on a recent legal case and a concluding note that argues that either the courts do or do not complement the legislature. The course looks very good. If you know of any especially interesting Canadian legal cases, please post a comment.

Reforming Global Organizations consists of two basic parts: an overview of global organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and a simulation: "the instructor will act as the Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister. Canada must decide what to do about Afghanistan in a few months time. The Prime Minister wants a realistic options paper on Afghanistan well before Cabinet must make a decision. A task force will prepare it for him." Groups of students form parts of the task force. The coursework consists of a book review, a policy memo, and the group report on one issue-area considered by the task force.